Marijannah are a Singapore stoner metal band who wants to transport you to space, where they will roll you up and smoke you like fat pinch of ganja. Formed in 2016 as a collaboration between guitarist Rasyid Juraimi of gutter dwelling, grindcore filth mongers Wormrot, and guitarist Nicholas Wong, of the significantly less grimy, pop-punk band The Caulfield Cult (Wong plays drums in Marijannah, no word on whether this is his preferred instrument though). Their first album Till Marijannah impressed critics with its slow resin lined chords and dank wizzardy vibe. Istanah (which means palace) is a direct sequel to its predecessor, and not much has changed between the two. However, Marijannah don't need to progress much stylistically in order to stay engaging. Things kick off promisingly with the gargantuan grooves and crisscrossing meteor shower riffs of the foggy floating vampire castle “Bloodsucker.” The next track “1966” has a a grainy grindhouse theater texture and a big, nasty, thumping beat familiar to fans of Hire on Fire. For me though, the best cut on the album is the speedy and psychedelic “Spiderwalk With Me” with straining chords, rumbling double-time percussion, and space warping reverb.
Pick up a copy of Istanah from Cursed Tongue Records here
